1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to weed extraction devices, and more particularly to a device for rotary removal of weeds without entanglement.
2. Description of the Background Art
Weed removal from plant beds, lawns, and other vegetated areas can be a tedious task. To ease the removal of weeds, a number of devices have been developed which include forks, tines or cutters which can be forced into the soil surrounding the weed and operated to either extract or cut the weed. When weeds are cut, however, the root system remains and the weed will grow back over a period of time. Therefore, rotary extraction is preferred since the root can be removed intact.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,736 issued to Hedgepeth on Apr. 11, 1989 discloses a weed removal tool in which the weeding head has three-prongs which are aligned in a flat plane. The center prong is longer than the outer prong so that it can be placed into the soil for stability. The end of the tool is adapted for connection to a hand held powering means such as a power screw driver, power drill, or socket wrench. Removal of the weed is effected by rotating the tool. U.S. Pat. No. 2,680,643 issued to Cravotta on Jun. 8, 1954 discloses a manually operated weed removal tool in which the weeding head has four prongs which are aligned at right angles. The tool contains an integral handle formed from the shaft connected to the weeding head. Removal of the weed is effected by rotating the tool. U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,712 issued to Cravotta on Feb. 10, 1987 discloses a rotary weed extractor which improves upon the device in U.S. Pat. No. 2,680,643 by (1) adding cutting edges to the weeding edge, (2) adding a foot support for application of additional force, and (3) adding a rotatable handle identical to those used with hand drills to insure that rotating the rod will cause blisters on the user's hand. U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,802 issued to Fambrough on Feb. 9, 1988 discloses a power operated rotary weeding tool which has three wingnut-like members spaced along a shaft. The tool drills down into the earth while at the same time causing the weed to wrap around the shaft. The entire root of the weed can then be popped out. The tool is operated by a power drill or the like, or a manual device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,744 issued to Ramirez on Aug. 5, 1986 discloses a manually operated weeding tool which has a crank handle like those used with hand drills and a two-prong weeding head. The tool also includes a weed ejecting mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 1,549,198 issued to Haney on Aug. 11, 1925 discloses a weed removal tool which has a plurality of prongs and one end and a handle at the other. The prongs diverge as the tool is thrust into the ground, thereby defining an area of removal. The tool is rotated and a plug of earth surrounding the weed is removed. An ejecting mechanism is also provided. U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,881 issued to Hollinger on Aug. 1, 1967 discloses a tool having two prongs for surrounding the root of the weed during removal. Rotation of the tool removes the weed and root, and the tool can be used for transplanting plugs of grass. A second embodiment is disclosed for picking up trash or aerating the lawn. Australian No. 211,366 applied for by Tomlinson et al. and published May 24, 1956 discloses a manually operated rotary weeding tool nearly identical to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,680,643 except that the prongs are curved and are provided with cutting edges. U.S. Pat. No. D-322,918 issued to Parks et al. on Jan. 7, 1992 discloses a design for a manually operated weeding device having a pair of straight prongs for insertion into the soil.
The devices disclosed in the foregoing patents suffer from various disadvantages, most notably that they have not solved the problem of entanglement of the weed and the device. In addition, in many of those devices, ejection of the weed from the extraction head is difficult. As a result, the user must unwrap or cut the weed in order to remove it from the device. Therefore, a need exists for a rotary weed extraction tool which can effectively remove the weed and its roots, while at the same time providing for ease of ejection of the weed and minimizing entanglement.
The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant's claimed invention.